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We have a long and distinguished history of providing Guelph and area residents and businesses with high-quality, personal and professional legal services. Our team has written a number of articles, which are included in this site.

Smith Valeriote Lawyers Blog | Smith Valeriote LLP Law Firm Guelph

What You Need To Know If You Are Involved In A Car Accident

Car accidents can be stressful and even traumatic. Immediately after a collision you may be disoriented or confused which can cause you or your loved ones to forget basic steps that may impact your future rights.

Call 911

If you or anyone involved in the collision has been injured call 911 immediately. Do not move any one who has been injured.

If you are experiencing dizziness, confusion, pain, discomfort, or numbness you should call 911 or attend a medical professional as soon as practically possible.

You should also call 911 if you suspect anyone involved in the collision has committed a criminal offence and you must call the police if it is suspect the damage resulting from the collision of $1,000.00 or more.

If the damages appear to be under $1,000.00, you are to attended a local collision reporting centre within 24 hours to file a collision report.

Move your vehicle

If it is possible, you must move your vehicle out of the path of traffic and off the roadway. This will ensure that you have not created a hazard for which you may be labile if another incident occurs. It may be helpful to ensure hazard lights have been turned on, especially in poor weather conditions.

If you are unable to move your vehicle from the roadway, ensure to put your hazard lights on so as to alert other divers of the potential danger. If you have other cautionary devices such as flares, use where appropriate.

Collect the Evidence

If you are able to, especially if the police do not attend the scene of the collision, be sure to obtain the name, address, and insurance particulars of all other people involved in the collision, including the owners of the vehicles who may not be present at the scene. You will also want to take down the make, model, and license plate number of the other vehicles involved in the collision.

If it is safe to do so, you should take photographs of the collision before the vehicles have been moved. This may help to determine the extent of damage, which driver was at fault, and how the collision occurred. It is also helpful to record the damage to your vehicle after it has been moved. If, due to injuries, you are unable to take photos at the scene you can take them as soon as possible to do so.

You should also take down the name and contact information for any witnesses to the collision. This would include anyone who helped you at the scene even if they did not see the collision.

Limit your interaction with the other parties to obtaining the necessary information. Never admit a collision was your fault or enter into any agreements for damages at the scene of a collision. If another party presents you with such an offer advise them that you will need legal advice before entering into any agreements.

Detailed Notes

You should take detailed notes regarding what happened in the collision. This may include writing down any conversations you had with people at the scene of the collision, any observations you made, and your recollection of the cause of the collision.

You should also keep detailed notes of any physical or psychological symptoms you experience after the collision. You may want to attend a medical practitioner with 24 hours being involved in a collision to get checked out. If any symptoms present following a collision, you should attend a medical practitioner immediately.

If after attending a medical profession, treatment has been recommended, ensure you follow through with those recommendations. Getting treatment immediately may help to shorten your recovery time.

There are strict timelines that apply to applications for Accident Benefits.

When to call a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you have sustained injuries in a collision you may want to call a personal injury lawyer immediately to discuss your rights and obligations.

If you have sustained injuries that prevent you from returning to work or performing your activities of daily living, it is recommended that you consult a personal injury lawyer.

If you have made an application for Accident Benefits and certain benefits have been denied, a personal injury lawyer will be able to advise you with respect to disputing the denial. A personal injury lawyer will also be able to assist you in determining which benefits to apply for under the Accident Benefit Scheme.

If you would like more information please call 519-836-6849 to arrange a free 1-hour consultation appointment.

SmithValeriote Law Firm LLP, Guelph’s Personal Injury Lawyers

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter and is not legal advice. Specialist advice should be sought regarding your specific circumstance.